Bernie pushes on with plans to reform payments

Bernie Ecclestone is pressing on with plans to reform F1's bonus payments, saying the current system leaves the smaller teams with "no chance."

Earlier this week the F1 supremo spoke about introducing a fairer system in 2021 when a new Concorde Agreement will come into effect.

Under the new system he wants to scrap the bonuses paid to the likes of Ferrari, for being the sport's most historical team, and Red Bull, McLaren, Mercedes and Williams, who are also paid bonuses just for being in the sport.

Ecclestone says it is unfair on the sport's smaller teams.

"At the moment they have no chance with this money that we give them," he told reporters at the Red Bull Ring.

"They don't have any chance. But we are going to make sure they are in a position where they do [have a chance] if they perform. Then they will be in the same position as anyone else.

"[Under the current contracts] we sort of look after – if that's the right word – four or five teams because they have had a long-term commitment with us and they signed four or five years ago to stay until 2020.

"So they needed something for doing it and the other teams couldn't sign or if they would sign and they stopped, what could we do?"

The top teams, though, will still stand to earn more but they will have to excel on the track in order to get it.

He added: "It's going to be sorted out in a way where the chunk of money they get on top, they won't get… well, they'll get it if they win.

"We can't pay the people if they are not winning and what I don't want is to pay people what would effectively be start money."